The present invention relates to the distribution of utilities in modular furniture systems and the like, and a control arrangement therefor.
Modern offices are becoming increasingly complicated and sophisticated due largely to the ever increasing needs of the users for improved utilities support at each workstation. These "utilities," as the term is used herein, encompass all types of resources that may be used to support or service a worker, such as communications and data used with computers and other types of data processors, electronic displays, etc., electrical power, conditioned water, and physical accommodations, such as lighting, HVAC, security, sound masking, and the like. For example, modern offices for highly skilled "knowledge workers" such as engineers, accountants, stock brokers, computer programmers, etc., are typically provided with multiple pieces of very specialized computer and communications equipment that are capable of processing information from numerous local and remote data resources to assist in solving complex problems. Such equipment has very stringent power and signal requirements, and must quickly and efficiently interface with related equipment at both adjacent and remote locations. Work areas with readily controllable lighting, HVAC, sound masking, and other physical support systems, are also highly desirable to maximize worker creativity and productivity. Many other types of high technology equipment and facilities are also presently being developed which will find their place in the workplaces of the future.
One important consequence of the advent of sophisticated electronic offices is the increased need and desirability for distributing utilities throughout the various offices in a manner which can be readily controlled. For example, both personal security and information security are ever-growing concerns in today's office environment, particularly as more and more sensitive business data is being transmitted electronically. Complex video and computer systems have been developed which have a central location from which all workstations in any given grouping and/or building can be continuously monitored, and the security of each associated piece of electronic equipment connected with a communications network can be checked. Related alarms and electronic locking mechanisms are typically integrated into such security systems to provide improved effectiveness. These types of security systems must presently be hard-wired in place in the building and the associated workstations. This serves to increase the cost of the office space, and severely limit its ability to be readily reconfigured.
Another example of the increasing need to control the distribution of utilities in offices relates to energy management. Electrical power is clearly an essential element of the modern office. From an energy management standpoint, it is desirable to minimize peak power consumption, as unit costs can thereby be reduced, and energy conservation realized. Also, when power supplies are disrupted, such as due to a black out, a brown out, or another similar type of power disturbance, it is very important to be able to marshal the use of all available power and/or route emergency power to critical equipment, such as emergency lighting, security systems, communications equipment, etc. Some industries, such as financial brokerages, telemarketing firms, mail order sales, and others have become so dependent upon electrically powered computers and communication devices that even very minor power variations can create major problems that result in significant business losses. Hence, the ability to control the distribution of electrical power in office environments, and other similar settings is of utmost importance.
Signaling and/or communications is another essential utility in modern offices which must be effectively distributed and controlled. In addition to state-of-the-art telephone communications, interactive computers, electronic mail, facsimile messages, remote banking, computer stock trading, and many other similar activities, electronic information transfers are now becoming a part of everyday business practice. As these new forms of communications become well entrenched, our dependence upon them increases proportionately, such that even temporary signal overloads or interferences can result in significant reductions in worker productivity.
Other important utilities also need to be distributed and controlled in modern office settings. These utilities generally relate to physical ambient controls, such as building and local HVAC, ceiling lighting, task lighting, audio information such as music, alarms, sound masking, etc., video information, including cable TV, electronic display boards, and the like. The ability to provide the office worker with ready access to all of these utilities, as well as those other utilities discussed above, is clearly advantageous in the quest to promote worker well-being and effectiveness. Since many of today's utility devices are readily portable, such as lap-top PCs, wireless telephones, etc., the difficulties experienced in keeping track of these facilities and managing their use is greatly exacerbated.
The efficient use of building floor space is also an ever-growing concern, particularly as building costs continue to escalate. Open office plans have been developed to reduce overall office costs, and generally incorporate large, open floor spaces in buildings that are equipped with modular furniture systems which are readily reconfigurable to accommodate the ever-clanging needs of a specific user, as well as the divergent requirements of different tenants. One arrangement commonly used for furnishing open plans includes movable partition panels that are detachably interconnected to partition off the open spaces into individual workstations and/or offices. Such partition panels are configured to receive hang-on furniture units, such as worksurfaces, overhead cabinets, shelves, etc., and are generally known in the office furniture industry as "systems furniture." Another arrangement for dividing and/or partitioning open plans involves the use of modular furniture, in which a plurality of differently shaped, complementary freestanding furniture units are positioned in a side-by-side relationship, with upstanding privacy screens available to attach to selected furniture units to create individual, distinct workstations and/or offices. All of these types of modular furniture systems have been widely received due largely to their ability to be readily reconfigured and/or moved to a new site, since they are not part of a permanent leasehold improvement.
In order to gain increased efficiency in the use of expensive office real estate, attempts are now being made to try to support highly paid knowledge workers with these types of modular furniture systems in open office settings, instead of conventional private offices. However, in order to insure peak efficiency of such knowledge workers, the workstations must be equipped with the various state-of-the-art utilities and facilities discussed above. Since such workstations must be readily reconfigurable to effectively meet the ever-changing needs of the user, the distribution and control of utilities throughout a comprehensive open office plan has emerged as a major challenge to the office furniture industry.
At present, some types of modular furniture systems, such as selected portable partition panels and freestanding furniture units, can be equipped with an optional electrical powerway, which extends along the entire width of the unit, and has quick-disconnect connectors adjacent opposite ends thereof to connect with adjacent, like powerways, and thereby provide electrical power to an associated furniture group or cluster. Outlet receptacles are provided along each powerway into which electrical appliances can be plugged. Cable troughs or channels are also provided in most such furniture units, so as to form a system of interconnected raceways into which signal and communications wires can be routed. Such cabling is normally routed through the furniture system after the furniture units are installed, and is then hard-wired at each of the desired outlets. While this type of distribution system has proven somewhat effective, the types of utilities provided are rather limited, their distribution is not wholly modular, thereby resulting in higher installation and reconfiguration costs, and there is little or no control for those utilities available, at least on an overall systems level.
The inherent nature of modular furniture systems, which permits them to be readily reconfigured into different arrangements, makes it very difficult to achieve adequate utility distribution and control. To be effective, not only must the furniture units have built-in utility capabilities, but the distribution system should also be able to determine the location of each particular furniture unit within a system of multiple workstations, monitor its utility usage, and then control the same, all at a relatively low cost and readily adaptable fashion, which will function effectively, regardless of where the individual furniture unit is positioned or how it is configured.